The Russian invasion of Ukraine has been a driving force in markets for the past few weeks. Telegram was founded in 2013 by two Russian brothers, Nikolai and Pavel Durov. Ukrainian forces have since put up a strong resistance to the Russian troops amid the war that has left hundreds of Ukrainian civilians, including children, dead, according to the United Nations. Ukrainian and international officials have accused Russia of targeting civilian populations with shelling and bombardments. Pavel Durov, a billionaire who embraces an all-black wardrobe and is often compared to the character Neo from "the Matrix," funds Telegram through his personal wealth and debt financing. And despite being one of the world's most popular tech companies, Telegram reportedly has only about 30 employees who defer to Durov for most major decisions about the platform. So, uh, whenever I hear about Telegram, it’s always in relation to something bad. What gives?
from sg